International Journal of
Medicine and Medical Sciences

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Med. Med. Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2006-9723
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJMMS
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 534

Full Length Research Paper

Correlation of serum free thyroxine with components of metabolic syndrome in euthyroid South Asian men and women

Muhammad Shahzad Saleem
  • Muhammad Shahzad Saleem
  • Department of Physiology, Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
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Khurshid Ahmad Khan
  • Khurshid Ahmad Khan
  • Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital, Lahore/UHS, Pakistan.
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Javed Akram
  • Javed Akram
  • Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital, Lahore/UHS, Pakistan.
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  •  Accepted: 14 June 2012
  •  Published: 30 September 2012

Abstract

 

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, whose prevalence is rising rapidly. Recently, a few studies have suggested that serum thyroxine, even in the reference range, may be associated with components of metabolic syndrome. However, this issue remains to be settled and has not been explored in the Pakistani population. So, we aimed to determine serum free thyroxine level and its relationship, if any, with components of metabolic syndrome in a euthyroid local population. This analytical, cross-sectional study included 130 euthyroid subjects (age range of 45 to 55 years). The subjects had their history taken and underwent clinical examination, after which, fasting blood was analysed for free thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone (chemiluminescence), along with glucose, triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (using enzymatic methods). Free thyroxine showed a positive correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in all subjects and with serum glucose in males, which was statistically significant (p = 0.022, p = 0.005 and p = 0.032, respectively). However, the correlation of serum free thyroxine with waist circumference, serum triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in males and with all components of metabolic syndrome in females was not significant. These results indicate that high-normal free thyroxine may be associated with raised blood pressure in all subjects and with raised glucose in males. Larger studies need to be done in Pakistani population to confirm our findings.

 

Key words: Free thyroxine, metabolic syndrome, correlation, euthyroid